Sale reports / Montana / Public Auction Yards / 2022-10-19

Public Auction Yards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Wed, Oct 19
● Final80 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1774
Feeder Cattle receipts
685 head
198 vs last sale 487 178 vs year ago 863 · 20.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,175 head
384 vs last sale 791 629 vs year ago 1,804 · 34.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
1,010 head
729 vs last sale 281 240 vs year ago 770 · +31.2%
Also sold hereRegular saleFri Nov 7, 2025
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested either this sale or last sale to develop any market trend. Quality today was mostly plain. Most calves were cutbacks off the summer videos with very few fresh calves on offer. Demand was mostly light for light offerings. Most feeders were offered in small package sizes, with many singles in the offering. Market activity was mostly slow today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower on all offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 1.00 lower. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Todays sale featured bred cows and many sets were out of dry country. Several sets of cows were very thin as a result. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale. Feeding cow buyers showed moderate demand for feeding cows this sale as they purchased some of the solid and broken bred cow offering to put on feed. Bred cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand this sale. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale however demand was mostly light to moderate as feed costs remain high and the entire winter feed bill still needs to be considered. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. These offerings sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $165.47/cwt on 224 head.
Average price
$165.47
224 head · 612 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,013
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$100
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$16.69/cwt at this weight
vs the market
15.24
vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1595173.681,033109
Medium 1662158.501,04922
Medium and Large 1-2633157.7199864
Large 1594156.9993329
One grade step is worth $16.69/cwt here — about $100 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale224 hd
165.47
MT average5 barns · 2,492 hd
180.71
−15.24
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsHigh1,84789.631,65539
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,56678.361,22754
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,41673.441,040295
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,18160.18711476

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,019$1,416145
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,269$1,41520
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,053$1,35524
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,380$1,3106
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,368$1,15774
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,282$1,12739
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,228$1,0668
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,286$1,041165
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,252$9003thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,057$1,82181
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,048$1,5203thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,389$1,60019

Every lot, as filed

80 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned282250.00/cwt250.00–250.007058
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned323237.50/cwt237.50–237.507676
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2811,051.93/head960.00–1,160.001,052137
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,38572.21/cwt66.00–74.251,00034
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned426194.32/cwt192.50–196.0082821
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned536171.00/cwt171.00–171.0091716
HeifersLarge 1729164.50/cwt164.50–164.501,1994
HeifersMedium and Large 1989155.04/cwt154.00–155.501,53313
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Full505132.50/cwt132.50–132.506696
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned485161.00/cwt161.00–161.007811
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned691144.00/cwt144.00–144.009954
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned574162.48/cwt162.00–163.0093323
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2877152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,3339
HeifersMedium 1709161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,14117
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned460191.00/cwt191.00–191.008793
HeifersMedium and Large 1946159.50/cwt159.50–159.501,50910
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned277210.00/cwt210.00–210.0058210
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned368185.00/cwt185.00–185.006813
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned348212.00/cwt212.00–212.007383
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned525161.86/cwt161.00–163.0085012
SteersLarge 1Unweaned598173.00/cwt173.00–173.001,0353
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned630175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,10318
HeifersLarge 1Unweaned415170.00/cwt170.00–170.007062
HeifersMedium 1Unweaned502150.00/cwt150.00–150.007535
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned423180.00/cwt180.00–180.007614
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned577151.96/cwt145.00–157.0087712
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned695165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,1471
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned578183.85/cwt176.00–188.001,06319
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned479207.50/cwt207.50–207.509945
SteersMedium 1742165.96/cwt163.00–168.001,23117
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned635147.00/cwt147.00–147.009336
HeifersLarge 1Unweaned514155.67/cwt155.00–156.0080019
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned513199.05/cwt191.00–212.001,02123
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned484192.83/cwt180.00–200.0093315
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2769160.50/cwt160.50–160.501,23417
CowsMedium and Large 1Unweaned339239.00/cwt239.00–239.0081021
HeifersLarge 1898149.00/cwt149.00–149.001,3383
HeifersLarge 11,025150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,5381
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned536142.50/cwt142.50–142.507644
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned448175.00/cwt175.00–175.007844
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38273.39/cwt68.00–78.001,014194
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,10256.88/cwt54.00–64.00627132
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,17077.50/cwt77.50–77.509071
Bulls2,20098.00/cwt98.00–98.002,1561
CowsBoner 80-85%1,58382.98/cwt79.50–87.001,3146
CowsBoner 80-85%1,49670.05/cwt69.00–75.001,04821
CowsLean 85-90%1,09643.99/cwt40.00–49.0048216
CowsLean 85-90%1,18356.02/cwt50.00–62.50663117
CowsLean 85-90%1,22464.60/cwt62.00–72.5079188
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,54581.00/cwt81.00–81.001,2511
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,46183.30/cwt83.00–84.001,2177
CowsBoner 80-85%1,57264.11/cwt58.00–66.001,00814
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,66274.22/cwt72.50–75.001,23422
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight90853.10/cwt52.00–54.004822
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,25066.77/cwt63.00–75.00835120
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,51080.60/cwt78.00–81.501,21724
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38064.49/cwt59.00–66.0089013
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,46079.19/cwt78.00–81.001,15647
Bulls1,97993.23/cwt90.00–95.001,84513
Bulls1,92183.61/cwt73.00–89.001,6068
BullsReturn to Feed1,73093.57/cwt92.00–95.001,61911
BullsReturn to Feed1,61881.25/cwt72.00–88.001,3156
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2281,065.85/head1,050.00–1,075.001,0668
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0041,442.30/head1,300.00–1,585.001,442130
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2859105.47/cwt95.00–111.009064
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed729103.88/cwt96.00–110.0075710
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,39679.58/cwt78.00–80.001,11118
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2691,414.97/head1,400.00–1,425.001,41520
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,252900.00/head900.00–900.009003
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0531,354.86/head1,250.00–1,385.001,35524
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1845115.81/cwt104.00–126.50979158
Stock CowsMedium and Large 196495.39/cwt75.00–108.0092099
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3681,156.80/head1,025.00–1,260.001,15774
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1521,184.70/head1,075.00–1,285.001,18515
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0571,820.56/head1,525.00–1,900.001,82181
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0481,519.63/head1,450.00–1,550.001,5203
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3801,310.00/head1,310.00–1,310.001,3106
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,3891,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,60019
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2821,127.17/head1,085.00–1,200.001,12739
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,313985.00/head985.00–985.0098528

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.